This free information session is sponsored by the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems and the Michigan Farm to Institution Network.

How to Join Cultivate Michigan Webinar

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

2:00 PM to 03:00 PM

Institutional food service directors and buyers, join us for a guided tour through the new Cultivate Michigan website and Dashboard.

A project of MFIN, Cultivate Michigan is a statewide local food purchasing campaign targeting institutions, including K-12 schools, hospitals, colleges/universities, early childcare and education settings and long-term care facilities. The campaign and website are designed to provide institutional food buyers with resources to help ramp up their efforts and track purchases of Michigan foods through a personalized Dashboard. By combining this data on the back end, we can better understand and explain the statewide impacts of local food purchases by institutions of all types.

Speakers are Hillary Bisnett & Alyson Oslin of the Ecology Center and co-coordinators of MFIN, and Kathryn Colasanti, MSU Center for Regional Food Systems and chair of the MFIN Impacts subcommittee.

Attendees will learn from healthcare experts how the promotion of sustainability initiatives is essential to the improvement of human and environmental health. Registration is available through the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Information regarding lodging is also available online.

Food, Farms and Health event

Friday, October 10, 2014

Traverse City

Offered by the Michigan Land Use Institute

This free day-long event will include lightning talks, breakout sessions, a locally-sourced lunch, and ample networking opportunities. Registration is required, and space is limited. Register by October 1st. Find more information here.

Cultivate Michigan Apple Tour: Blake’s Orchard

Friday, October 17, 2014

10:30 am – 1:30 pm

Armada, MI

Apple season has begun! Apples are Cultivate Michigan's featured food for winter. Join us on Friday, October 17, for a tour of Blake's Orchard & Cider Mill in Armada, an historic family farm. This tour is free and open to all Farm to Institution practitioners, farmers, suppliers, advocates, supporters and researchers. Lunch will be provided. Please register by Friday, October 10 using this link.

Save the Date: Michigan Farm to Institution Network Meet Up

Monday, October 27, 2014

1:30 – 4:30 pm

Lansing, MI

This afternoon meeting in advance of the 2014 Michigan Good Food Summit will allow us to continue conversations we began at the Michigan Farm to Institution Network Launch event in April 2014. The session will be facilitated by the MIFFS Facilitation Team and will include network and Cultivate Michigan updates, and conversations around featured foods for 2015 and regional connections. Registration and more details are coming soon!

Colleen Matts

Farm to Institution Specialist | Michigan Lead for National Farm to School Network

MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status.